Project-Based Learning: A strategy for Teaching and Learning

What Is PBL?
In Project Based Learning (PBL), students go through an extended process of inquiry in response to a complex question, problem, or challenge. Rigorous projects help students learn key academic content and practice 21st Century Skills (such as collaboration, communication & critical thinking). Students need to do much more than remember information. They need to use higher-order thinking skills and learn to work as a team. They must listen to others and make their own ideas when speaking, be able to read a variety of material, write or otherwise express themselves in various modes, and make effective presentations. These skills, competencies and habits of mind are often known as 21st century skills, because they are prerequisite for success in the 21st century workplace.

We define Project Based Learning as: a systematic teaching method that engages students in learning essential knowledge and lifeenhancing skills through an extended, student-influenced inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks.

Project-Based Learning: Why a strategy?

1) Engages students in complex, real-world issues and problems; where possible, the students select and define issues or problems that are meaningful to them.

2) requires students to use inquiry, research, planning skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills as they complete the project

3) Requires students to learn and apply content-specific skills/standards and knowledge in a variety of contexts as they work on the project

4) Provides opportunities for students to learn and practice interpersonal skills as they work in cooperative teams and, whenever possible, with children and adults in workplaces or the community. (community work)

5) Gives students practice in using an impressive display or range of skills needed for their adult lives and careers (how to allocate time/resources; individual responsibility, interpersonal skills, learning through experience, etc.)

6) Includes expectations regarding accomplishments/learning outcomes; these are linked to the learning standards and outcomes for the institution and are stated at the beginning of the project.

7) Incorporates reflection activities that lead students to think critically about their experiences and to link those experiences to specific learning standards.

8) Ends with a presentation or product that demonstrates learning and is assessed; the criteria could be decided upon by the students.
E:\PEDAGOGICAL PROJECTS

Feedback
Best practice indicates that feedback is a critical

aspect of success for PBL. Student-to-student as well as teacher-to-student dialog helps to monitor and promote progress. How and when to incorporate feedback is determined by the teachers management style. Formalized checklists, informal meetings, Question-Comment-Concern forms, student self-assessment progress checks, and journal entries are a few strategies for feedback.

Checklist for Implementing PBL in EFL

Outlines PBL ingredients and follows the

sequence of interest - research presentation. As originally written, this model follows: perspective (1) teacherfacilitated, student emphasized. Changing "I" to "the students" will transform this model from perspective (1) into perspective (2) teacher-guided

I need to find out what kind of resources are available: textbooks, magazines, books, experts, film, libraries, museums, commercial firms, stores, industries, parks, etc. I need to list questions that come to mind as I scan the sources, visit a site, or talk with an expert. I need to choose a stimulating problem to present to the class: a problem that will be related explicitly to people's lives, and require the use of the varied resource materials found. I need to bring as many materials to class as possible and plan an appealing introductory activity that will stimulate the class' interest in the problem. I need to explain to the students exactly how the project will proceed and tell them how it will be evaluated. During Stage I, I need to encourage students to generate question that interest them. During stage II, I need to help groups make realistic plans and make sure that all members' ideas are heard. During stage III, I need to help students with study skills. I need to check if there's a skill that the whole class finds difficult and if so, take time out to have students practice that skill. During stage IV, I need to help groups identify the main idea of their findings. I also need to convene the steering committee, and coordinate the groups' presentations. During Stage V, I need to lead the class in determining criteria for the evaluation of the presentations. After each presentation, I need to lead the class' feedback discussion. For Stage VI, I need to choose ways of evaluating new facts and terms students acquired in the course of the project. I also need to determine what conclusions they reached from their inquiry, and how they integrated their findings. I need to ask the students what meanings the investigation and its results had for them. I need to ask myself and the class what we did well during the project and what can be improved next time. Finally, I need to reflect on what PBL means to me as a teacher. I also need to find other teachers in my university who will team up with me so that we can share and plan a new ways of teaching Project Based Learning.

Finally.. These are general questions to use in assessment

Preparation, Presentation and Overall Implementation (Instructor)

1. Are the instructions and expectations for the class clear from the beginning?
2. Am I spending sufficient time on modeling the skills I want students to acquire? 3. Is there enough variety in the lesson to appeal to most learning preferences? 4. How many learning intelligences am I addressing? 5. Are students connecting to lesson objectives? How?

6. How is this lesson integrated?

Performance and Practice (Student) 1. Do all students have the skills to follow instructions? If not, what measures am I taking to address the challenge? 2. Are all students participating in the activities either by active observation or by voicing their thoughts? 3. Am I identifying the strengths of each student and pairing/grouping people accordingly? What results am I getting?

Project Examples
The National Geographic Society and NGS Kids Network see Geo-kits Technical Education Research Centers (TERC) go to Project Web Sites I*EARN - International Education and Resource Network go to Projects Global Schoolhouse at Lightspan.com go to Collaborative Projects Challenge 2000 Multimedia Projects reference for constructing PBL with examples Computer Aided Education Resources project abstracts Tales From the Electronic Frontier multiple examples from different perspectives Greece Schools Student Projects student examples Earth Force student project stories Networking in Education for the Global Environment list of biodiversity projects 21st Century Schoolhouse project examples and links The Millennium Project designed by Jack Pillemer for grades 11 and 12 International Reading Project a method of teaching the holocaust Dramatizing Short Stories by 11th grade students Think Quest - Artful Minds interactive web-site for educators Links to Curricular Projects and Plans - 67 links to projects Curriculum Integration go to Projects 4th Annual Amazing Insect Project - 1998 Exemplary Projects project examples from Techscape Curriculum Integration Links excellent project resource 5th Grade Themes student projects High School Social Studies Home Page student projects Inquiry-Based Internet Example (Internet Island) teacher constructed project for students Global Schoolhouse Projects Registry a registry of 595 projects NE Slate a collection of internet projects Project Center on-line projects created by teachers